Harry Potter and the Phantom Gifts
by FallyGrl
Summary: Voldemort is on the verge of return, and it's up to the heroic team of Snape and Potter, along with a few friends, to defeat the Dark Lord again! If you're a Snape or Harry fan, take a look. Snape/OC, Sirius/Remus, Ron/Hermione.
1. The Silver Staircase

Harry Potter and the Phantom Gifts  
  
Diaclaimer: I own nothing of the Harry Potter universe. It's all JKR's. Nuff said.  
  
Quick overview: This fic was playing around in various forms in my head for a while. Finally, I decided to start writing it. A Harry Potter fanfic with traces of Labyrinth, Spirited Away, and Fushigi Yuugi.  
  
Ch. 1: The Silver Staircase  
  
Harry Potter sat in the train. He kept mentally punching himself. Two years ago. Two years ago. That had been the end of it, but no, it really hadn't. Voldemort was not dead. Harry had finished school in confidence, the pride of the wizarding world, and had been told no more than a day ago that Voldemort was alive and could possibly gain power again.  
  
Hermione and Ron glanced over at their friend worridly. He just stared out the window. They tried to cheer him up.  
  
"Come on Harry. It won't be so bad," Hermione said. "We'll get lots of information that can help us. Voldemort is only alive in spirit-sense, not really in physical form."  
  
"Yeah, it'll be easy to kill him for good," Ron said. He bit his tongue, knowing full well that he was on the verge of asking someone how on earth they were going to kill a spirit.   
  
Harry looked at his friends. Hermione still had her bushy hair, but she was very attractive. Ron made a nice match for her, his looks turning out to be like his brother Bill. He had even copied Bill's ponytail, though Hermione forbade him from getting an earring. From them, Harry's eyes drifted to the other memners of their party sitting in the spacious special train compartment that had been reserved for them.  
  
Next to Ron was his siser, Ginny. She fidgeted nervously, only sent along because of her past incident with Tom Riddle's ghost, a connection that could possibly be used to their advantage. Directly across from Ginny was Professor Snape, who looked very unhappy about everything. He had suffered greatly under numerous torture sessions from Voldemort, and was not looking forward o facing the Dark Lord again, especially not with partnering up with Harry again. Another reasson for his discomfort were the two individuals sitting next to him, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. Sirius sat so that he turned his head away from Snape, as Snape did the same, and Remus just sat facing forward, hands folded on his lap. Next to him sat Professor McGonagall, who was in charge of this mission, appointed by Dumbledore. Finally, sitting directly across from Harry was Draco Malfoy. He was in much the same mood as Snape, though he had not faced the same torture as Snape. What he suffered was the loss of his father, sent to Azkaban and than killed while trying to escape from it. Draco, though, didn't like the other option, which would have been his father forcing him into the Death Eater circle. Draco was a Slytherin, and he was snobby, and he wasn't too favorable of Muggles or Muggle-born wizards, but he didn't want to be one of Voldemort's lackeys either. Harry couldn't help but smirk at the irony; two of his least favorite people, Snape and Draco, definitely into the Dark Arts, but both resisting the Dark Lord. Draco saw his smirk.  
  
"What's so funny, Potter? Finally finished sulking?" Draco turned away from Harry, not waiting for an answer, and stared out the window.  
  
"No fighting, please," Minerva said. She glanced at the two boys, before turning to a fidgeting Ginny. "What's wrong my dear?"  
  
"Um," the skinny girl gulped, than said, "I still don't quite understand what we're doing. Dumbledore didn't give us that much information."  
  
"For once, Miss Weasley is correct," Snape spoke up. "A pity she couldn't be so attentive in class. Minerva, perhaps you would like to enlighten us more on our mission." He stared at the compartment door, not bothering to look up when he spoke. Minerva sighed.  
  
"Yes Professor, please explain our mission to us more," Hermione said, eagerly leaning forward.  
  
"Of course dear. But do call me Minerva, you are no longer students, but our friends," the older woman said, smiling. "Now as you know, we are going to a spirit world. It is believed that Voldemort will try to enter there and than return to our world."  
  
"Yes, that's what Albus said," Remus remembered, "but what exactly does it mean. Where would Voldemort be comming from? And how?"  
  
"I'll give you the details than...please don't crowd me though, I do need to breath," Minerva said, as the majority of them leaned towards her. Snape and Draco, like two bookends, mearly turned their heads toward her.  
  
"Alright," Minerva continued as everyone sat back. "There are a number of worlds.. Millions. Some worlds are like ours, with other versions of the lands, some go as far to have other versions of ourselves, with variations. Some worlds are at different stages of evolution, with dinosaurs still roaming, or are ahead of our own world in progress, with cars flying through the air on elecricity and cyborgs, as i believe they are called. Some worlds have magic, others don't. There are some worlds that are drastically different though, ones that are so different, humans are never seen there. There is the Heavens and Hells of various religions, for example."  
  
"Those are real?" Hermione asked. "So, like, there's a real Mount Olympus with Hera and Athena, and a real Valhalla with Odin?"  
  
"Quite right, Hermione dear," Minerva said. "The world we are going to is a 'hot spot' for all sorts of magical creatures, gods included. I doubt that we will have the chance of meeting God, or Allah, or any of the dieties from the old civilizations, but we could keep on the lookout for them, in case we need their assistance, and if they are willing to help us. We will have to be careful, though. It is not likely that Voldemort will be there yet, but we will run into a number of fey and demonic creatures. We must be on guard, as we will be the only and first humans there. Which is why, Hermione, you will document anything and everything from our mission and from that world, for research and reference possibilities." Hermione nodded.  
  
"And," Minerva went on quickly," there will be no rough-housing or fighting within our party." She gave Sirius, Remus, and Snape and meaningful look.   
  
"Don't look at me Minerva, as far as I'm concerned, I try not to interact much with these two," Snape said. "However, you may need to put leashes on them so they don't get lost-"  
  
"Don't start, Snape," Sirius warned. Remus and he gave Snape bitter looks.  
  
"Boys." Minerva gave them a hard look, and they quieted down. She turned to the children, or rather, the young adults.  
  
"That goes for you all as well. Ron and Draco, I expect perfect behavior." They nodded, thankful that at least she wasn't asking them to shake hands.  
  
"Well, Pro- er, um, Minerva, you still haven't said how Voldemort will get to this other world," Harry said.  
  
"There are many ways to get to this world, different ways for different folk. When you defeated the Dark Lord the first time, his spirit escaped to another world with the little power he had. It is believed that he is feeding off of raw magical energy, and when he has enough he will try to enter the world we are headed for, so that he can feed off of the incredible amounts of magical energy there and than enter our own world."  
  
Harry shivered. If there were gods and such in this world they were going to, than Voldemort could gain enormous amounts of power. He could almost become a god himself!  
  
"And how will we be getting to this world, Minerva?" Remus asked. He shouldn't have asked.  
  
The lights in the train went out. They sat, stiff and wary, in the darkness. Harry heard the clack-clack of the wheels on the tracks, and the breathing of everyone in the compartment, and nothing else.  
  
"What's going on?" Ginny asked.  
  
"It's probably nothing," Sirius said.  
  
"I don't mean to alarm anyone, but there is no way to see out the windows, and we're not in a tunnel," Draco said.  
  
They were puzzled by this statement. Harry looked out his window, and saw that Draco was right. This wasn't the blackness of a closed up tunnel. The darkness expanded, had depth, depth like an ocean. But he could make out nothing in it.  
  
"Draco's right," he said, surprised at the phrase comming from his mouth.  
  
"Well, best sit tight than," Minerva said. Harry was aware, as he was sure they all were, that the darness was becomming, well, darker. Harry could no longer make out the shpaes of his friends in the compartment.  
  
"What the hell is going on," Snape snapped. He stood up, and went over to the compartment door. Opening it to look out, he quickly regretted his action.  
  
A wind of some unearthly power whipped through the compartment. The younger girls screeched, and Sirius and Ron cursed. Snape tried to vainly close the door, but the wind whipped at him, and he was sure he would be cut by it.  
  
"Severus, shut the door!" Minerva said, realizing that he must have opened it and thus let the wind enter.  
  
"I'm bloody trying to!" He finally shoved the door close with his shoulder, and leaned agaisnt the wood.  
  
"What the hell was that?" Draco asked, shaken. Harry realized that he could see Draco's outline, the darkness letting up. Draco's platinum hair was tassled from the wind. Harry looked around as the light returned to the room, though it was from the outside and not from the lights inside the train. Everyone's hair was messed up by the breeze that had invaded. Clothes were askew a bit, but worst of all was Snape, who was indeed hurt by the wind. His sleeves were shredded, and he had a number of raised marks on his arms. He grmaced, examining his arms and shirt.  
  
"Are you okay?" Remus asked.  
  
"Fine wolf-boy, it's nothing to be concerned of. Just a few welts," Snape said. He sat down again, and did a few healing and sewing spells. He put his wand away, and realized something.  
  
"I'm sure we're all thinking the same thing right now, but, did it seem strange that none of us thought to use magic to close the door?" Hermione said. That was frightening. They had lived their lives with the instincts to immediately whip out their wands to fix their problems. Even for menial tasks. To not do so in a somewhat dangerous situation meant that they were all slipping.  
  
"Well, let's just not think about it," Minerva said, adjusting her glasses.  
  
"Hey, look outside," Ron said, pointing over Harry's shoulder. Outside, it seemed that there really was an ocean. The train was on a small area of land, big enough just for the tracks. On either side of this area of land was pure blue water. They noticed that the train was slowing down.  
  
"You have to be kidding me. A train station out here?" Sirius said. But apparently, there was, for the train soon stopped completely.  
  
"We must have gone through some sort of magical vortex," Hermione said. "This doesn't look like any place in England."  
  
"We're not comming back this way, are we?" Ginny asked.  
  
"If we are, nobody is to open that door," Sirius said, and Snape snorted.  
  
"As if I knew," he grumbled.  
  
"Let's just get off this train already," Ron said. He got up to leave, and everyone followed suit.  
***  
They stood on the platform. The train had departed just as they all exited, and had abandoned them on a platform in the middle of nowhere. No train station even. Just a flat, white stone platform in the water. Their only option it seemed was to walk on the tracks, but if another train came by, they could be killed or else they would have to jump into the water.  
  
"Wonderful, isn't it," Snape said, voice dripping with sarcasm. harry didn't know how Snape could speak with such sarcasm all the time. If he talked like that as much as Snape did, Harry was sure it would make him sick. Perhaps that was one of the reasons why, even after Voldemorts first defeat, the Potions Master had been so sour.  
  
"This is where we should be," Minerva said. She was searching her pockets for something.  
  
"Pardon?" Sirius Black said.  
  
"This is where we should be. The water around us, according to what Albus has told me, is the River Sublime."  
  
"More like an ocean," Harry said.  
  
"Yes, actually it is," Minerva said. "No human has ever gotten even this far before, but thanks to Hagrid's connections with a few of the magical races, we had the proper tickets and the proper device to get into the world." She still searched her pockets, than finally found what she was looking for.  
  
"What is it?" Hermione asked. She already was writing down their progress in the books she had brought along. Minerva held up a sphere.  
  
"Looks like unicorn horn," Remus commented.  
  
"It is. Normally, this route is taken by human-like beings. Elves that live in cities, you see. This globe is made out of unicorn horn, with the dust of a star inside of it. I'm quite proud of Hagrid's connections, for items like this are hard to get. You see, thet are very rare, and always kept secret."  
  
"So, how did Hagrid get it?" Ginny asked. Harry quickly came up with the answer.  
  
"Dobby...it was Dobby, it had to be. He's helped me tons of times, of course. He must have been asked to try and help us this time, and got the, uh, unicorn horn for us."  
  
"Correct, Harry. Now, all of you should stand back, I'm going to activate it." Minerva examined it a bit, trying to remember what she had been told to do by Albus, before finding the right spot. A small indentation on either side of the ball was where Minerva placed her index fingers.  
  
"Neva ehf oe Tags ur Ofnepo," she said. The incantation, though silly, seemed to work. The ball glowed a milky white, than returned to normal, adn Minerva stuffed it back into one of her robe pockets.  
  
"What the-" Sirius said, looking up at the sky as a humming came from above them. They all glanced up to see a stairway, a silver stairway, unfold above them like a ladder. It seemed to come from nowhere, at a very great height. Ginny gulped.  
  
"We're going up there?"  
  
"Oh, don't whine," Snape said. The other boys, save Draco, shot him dirty looks.  
  
"It'll be alright Ginny, just hang onto me," her brother said.  
  
"I think we should all be careful," Hermione said. "This staircase is really steep looking."  
  
In pairs, they ascended. Minerva took the lead, followed by Harry and Hermione, Ron and Ginny, Sirius and Remus, and Snape and Draco. They willed themselves not to look down. All of them seemed rather nervous, save for Snape, who didn't seem to mind the height or the gentle breeze playing with his hair. At least, he didn't mind, until Remus slipped and fell down, nearly knocking Snape off the stairway.  
  
"Be careful, you idoit! This stairway doesn't have railings, you know. One slip and Mr. Malfoy and I could end up dead!"  
  
"And that's a bad thing?" Sirius asked. Snape growled at him as Remus got his footing again and stood.  
  
"Now who's acting like a dog?" Sirius said, smirking.   
  
"Knock it off," Draco said. Both men were fairly surprised. Draco had no hint of menace or Slytherin-like poison in his voice when he said it. He had said it in much the same way as Hermione might have said it.  
  
"We're falling behind," he continued. The older men noticed this, and they continued on their way.  
  
They didn't know how long they climbed. The air seemed to get no thinner, as it should have, but they could no longer see the land or water below them. It was all white-blue, and they passed by numerous clouds. Ron playfully reached out to ouch one of the fluffy white expanses, and picked up a handful to show his sister. Delighted as she was, she had no urge to reach out and grab her own little cloud, too afraid of losing her footage. The fluffball in Ron's hand dissapaited, and they continued walking.  
  
"Hey, I think I see the end," Harry said. He seemed to see the edge of a platform resting in the air, surrounded by thick clouds. They kept their pace, too timid to rush lest they fall to their doom.  
  
"Finally," Minerva said, reaching the platform. She walked forward between the cloud-archway, and waited for her friends to gather themselves at the top of the staircase. On the platform, the saw a strange sight. In front of them was a large brigde, very large, in fact, that it could easily have been as long as the lake at their school. Other platforms connected to the end of the bridge, and various creatures walked throughn the archways to get to the bridge. Some were familiar; gryphons, imps, goblins, etc. Others were other types of familiar creatures, but ones that the wizards had no way of knowing that they knew them; jovial elves that looked nothing like Dobby or Winky and were about Ginny's height, goblins that were tall and beautiful with pale skin and glitter in their hair. And than there were the extrodinary beings they had never seen before; demons of multiple colors, spirits of the earth better known in foreign countries than in Britian.   
  
"Stay close together," Harry said. He had an urge of leadership rise in him, and Minerva relinquished control, for the time being, to him. He stepped forward, and carefully walked between the strange creatures on the bridge. His company followed.  
  
"Um, they're looking at us," Ginny said. Sure enough, the other travelers were. Mystical creatures were turning and pointing, and whispering to eachother. A little boy with wings comming from his back pointed at them.  
  
"Look, mommy, humans," he said, before his mother pulled him away from them, telling him it was rude to point. Harry and his friends were halfway across the bridge when it was apparent that all other traffic had stopped.   
  
"What's going on, what's going on!" A voice from the other side of the bridge shouted.  
  
"There are humans comming," a gorgoness shouted back.  
  
"Are they allowed to come through?" A cat-headed man asked, shouting his question to the voice from afar.  
  
"Humans? Oh, oh yes, those humans, of course! Yes, they're expected. Don't worry, they're wizards."  
  
Everyone relaxed, and a few of the creatures laughed.  
  
"Oh, about time some human wizards paid a visit to this town," a fearie girl said to her friend. "We've been wondering for ages when they'd pay a visit."  
  
"Yes, it's so nice to see some new races come by," her friend said.  
  
Harry sighed. He was sure that the creatures would have thrown him and his company off the bridge. A man with rabbit ears and porcupine quills poking out of his back laughed and adressed Harry.  
  
"Nat ta warry, yaung man, ya'll anjaoy yaur stay haere," he said with a strong accent, and went on his way. Traffic moved again on the bridge, and Harry sighed, relieved. He looked over his shoulder to see how everyone else was. they all seemed fine, save for Snape, who was still wary and had a firm grip on his wand. It took a firm glance from Minerva to force him to put away his wand.  
  
As they walked along the bridge, Harry was disturbed to see a large purple, snake-like creature approach them. He had six arms and a pair of bat wings, and slithered towards them quickly.  
  
"Need a guide?" he said. Harry was slightly surprised to see him speak without using his mouth, directly communicating through his mind, but Harry grew a bit frightened as the creature grinned. Lips pulled back along a lupine-like muzzle to reveal some very nasty looking teeth.  
  
"Um, no thank you," Harry said quickly. He hurried on, his companions following. The creature watched them the entire way, untill they were out of his sight.  
  
They reached the end of the bridge, and before them they saw what seemed to be a checkpoint. Ten men stood in long black robes. They wore masks,and their hands only had three, clawed fingers, in which they clasped large books and quills. It appeared that they were taking down the names of the travelers that were crossing the bridge. Behind them all stood a man with orange skin and black hair. He looked like an Itallian circus ringmaster, wearing an outfit much like an Itallian, and with a large glittering top hat and a whip. He saw the humans and backoned them over. They approached, and the man brought over one of the bookkeeprs.  
  
"Ah, yes, our human visitors," said the man. Harry noticed a devil's tail swishing from behid the man. "I am very pleased to greet you here, travelers. I was alerted of your comming by a young unicorness, who had heard of your comming from a half-giant, I believe. Normally, I don't believe such tales, but Radiance, that's her name you see, well, she's one of our esteemed regulars, and I knew she wouldn''t fib such a thing."  
  
"Er, yes, sir, well-"  
  
"Call me Randolf, please. And now, give us your names please, all visitors must be checked in." The bookkkepper stepped forward. Minerva took the lead from there.  
  
"Well, certainly Mr. Randolf-"  
  
"Oh, just call me Randolf, please, no need to be so formal towards me ma'am," he said.  
  
"Yes, well, thankyou Randolf. My name is Minerva McGonagall. The young man here is Harry Potter."  
  
"Harry Potter! Well, this is an honor. Heard quite a it about you from some house elves and hippogriffs. Exactly who we need. There have been rumurs of trouble in the network. Dark Magic getting close. Boy what an honor. May I shake your hand?" Harry couldn't help but grin as he shook Randolf's hand. Minerva had to smile as well at the orange man's charm and friendliness.  
  
"Oh, oh yes, the names, please continue," he said, remembering his job. Minerva gave him the rest of their names.   
  
"Ah, now, I suppose you'll need instructions, yes? Okay. Down a ways, just follow the main street to the very end. Maraculous, that's the name of this town, has only one main street, so you can't get lost. At the very end is Emba's Rest House. Go there and say you were sent by Randolf to speak with Emba. She'll give you any information you want, but she may charge a price for it. She's a bit greedy, you see. Well, go see Emba, and she'll set you up with a guide too, most likely. If she won't, there are plenty haning around her place that will volunteer their services. The best you can get is Emba's top girl, The Jack. Don't worry about nothing now. You'll be alright."  
  
They nodded their thanks and departed the bridge, stepping onto the land on the other side. On either side of them now was forest, and in front of them was a tall wall, with a gateway leading into the city. As they headed forward, Harry heard Randolf call to them from behind.  
  
"Have a grand old time, friends, and a merry visit to you." 


	2. Old Friend

Harry Potter and the Phantom Gifts  
  
Disclaimer: Once again, I don't own any of the HP cast. Or the HP world. You get the idea.  
  
Ch. 2: Old Friend  
  
Harry gulped. The atmosphere was friendly enough, but he remembered he was on a mission to kill Voldemort.  
  
"Come on Harry cheer up," Ron said.  
  
"My gosh, isn't this all fascinating? I've already filled up five whole pages with information," Hermione said.  
  
"Miss Granger, we haven't even gotten inside the city yet," Snape said. He wondered if they had brought enough books for the Gryffindor girl to write in.  
  
Speaking of the city, they decided to head on. Harry and Minerva walked side by side, leading the way. And everyone was awed by what they saw. A long street ran straight and well paved, with side streets running off it on perfect angles. Shops and hotels and such lined the sides of the streets, the most prominent ones right on the main road. The wizards were in awe and gazed around them. The buildings were ornate and colorful, and beyond them, wonderful landscapes could be seen. There a mountain range, there a forest, and one road was clear from any shops, giving way to a view of a peaceful sea.  
  
Up ahead was Emba's Rest House. The closer they got, the more magnificent it became. It was a beutiful red bulding, wide and tall, with golden roofs. On either side of the street near it were two more large buildings, one green and one brown, all with golden roofs. The style reminded Harry of oriental temples.  
  
At the entrance of the Rest House, there was much activity. People were running about quickly here and there on this end of town. As the humans climbed the front steps of the Rest House, three young women with olong heads and thick, puffy lips came forward to greet them. They all wore dresses of pink fabric, with long white aprons on.  
  
"Welcome to Emba's Rest House, travelers," one said, her lips moving like a fish's would in water. "This is the finest bath house in all of Maraculous, and the finest entertainment house as well."  
  
"Please allow us to help you in," another of the women said.  
  
"Actually dears, we were sent here by Randolf to speak with Miss Emba," Minerva said. The girls perked up a bit at randolf's name, looking very much like surprised fish, their eyes bulging.  
  
"Oh," the third one said. "Come with me than. I'll bring you to her waiting room. Lady Emba will be with you shortly." She hurried inside, and they had to step quickly to keep up with her. It seemed to Harry that she swam through the air, her feet moved so quickly. They were led inside a fancy marble hall. Through cooridors lined with velvety blue carpeting. Past room after room of who knows what. Up flights of stairs, where Remus, for a second time, tripped.  
  
"Can't she slow down?" he asked, Sirius helping him up.  
  
After about the fourth flight of stairs, panting and tired, they were led into a cooridor and finally into a large room.  
  
"Please wait in here, sirs and madams, while I tell Lady Emba you have arrived." The girl went to a door in the corner of the room and left them behind. Finally being able to rest, they got a good look at the room. Red carpeting, a number of comfortable couches and chairs situated in the middle, marble stands with potted plants, and some dark-wooded tables.  
  
"This place is really fancy. I bet that Emba woman or whatever she is is filthy rich," Ron said.  
  
"No doubt about that, Weasley," Draco said. "Not that my house is much different."  
  
"Oh, come on Malfoy, you know you could fit ten of your mansions in this place," Hermione said.  
  
"My, my," Minerva commented softly, bserving the wall tapestries. Sirius and Remus joined her, while Snape sat in a chair with his back to the door they had come in by.  
  
The fish-girl soon returned. Behind her, the door remained open, and another figure walked out. She was a tall, pale skinned woman with corn-yellow hair put up in a large bun around her head. She was very beautiful, elegant in a Victorian style dress of deep blue and with a saphire brooch at ther throat. She seemed no older than 30 in every way, save for her eyes, which were speckled with white cloudiness over the blue, and with numerous wrinkles folding around them.  
  
"Welcome, guests. I am Lady Emba, owner of this fine establishment. I believe you are here on some important journey?" She stood in the center of the room, her eyes focusing on each of them in turn as she spoke.  
  
"Yes," Minerva said. "We are here on a critical matter. We believe that-"  
  
"That an evil spirit may be on his way here?" Emba asked. Minerva nodded.  
  
"How did you know?" Harry asked. Emba rearded him.  
  
"There have been reports of trouble among some of our guests. There have been a few reports of seeing this spirit, and I must say they are indeed troubling. At least four travelers have died, killed by the spirit. Worst yet, they were dragons."  
  
"Dragons!" Hermione gaped. "He killed four dragons. But woudn't they be too powerful?" She scribbled furiously in her book as she spoke.  
  
"Yes. These four were fairly old, however, and were tired from long journeys." Emba sighed. "The dragons have had to take the long routes for the past few days in order to get here. The Harmony Gate has been closed, though there is no one guarding it at the moment."  
  
"The Harmony Gate?" Remus asked.  
  
"The Harmony Gate is the most direct route between this world and the world of the dragons. The world of the dragons is actually a meeting place where all dragons from any world can visit. Apparently, the spirit is situated between the passageway from that to this world. The Harmony Gate is sealed off, to prevent the spirit from entering this world. But the more dragons he kills, the stronger he will get, and even the seals we have established won't keep him out."  
  
"We'll take care of him," Ron said. "Don't you worry. He won't stand a chance against us." Emba smiled at him sweetly.  
  
"Thank you. You're help will be most appreciated. In thanks, I will provide you with a guide, to show you around our lovely town." She turned to the servant girl. "Tuna, go fetch my Jack, please. I'd like her to be their guide." The fish girl nodded and left.  
  
"This will only take a moment," Emba told them.  
  
They waited patiently for the girl to return. She did, quickly.  
  
"I'm sorry, Lady Emba, but your Jack is not back yet." Emba frowned, and thought for a minute.  
  
"I suppose you'll have to wait than. Please feel free to examine that tapestry over there," Emba said, pointing to one of the wall hangings. "It is a map of the town. You may take it with you if you'd like." Tuna walked over to the tapestry and pulled it off the wall, folding it neatly for them as Emba spoke.  
  
"Tuna, take them to...to the Bumblebee Inn, please. They'll be able to rest there, surely."  
  
"Yes ma'am," Tuna said.  
  
"I'll have to bid you good day, ladies and gentlemen. Please come visit my establishment again sometime." Emba turned to leave, with a final bow of her head. Tuna stepped forward.  
  
"Please follow me," she said, and they stood, albeit reluctantly. Once again, they'd have to run around after the fish girl.  
  
"If my feet don't end up killing me by the end of the day, I'll be surprised," Sirius muttered to Remus.   
***  
Hermione, Harry, Draco, Ginny and Ron sat in their room, pouring over the map. Hermione was copying down a version in her book.  
  
They were in the Bumblebee Inn, waiting for their guide to be ready. They had gotten separate rooms at first, Remus and Sirius sharing one with Snape, Minerva and the girls having one, and one left for Harry, Ron, and Draco. It was in the third room that they had looked over the map. Than, Minerva, Sirius and Remus had been called downstairs by Tuna to meet their guide. So, the younger wizards looked over the map again, while Snape returned to his room to have a quick drink and to sulk and complain in quiet.  
  
"Here's the Harmony Gate Emba mentioned," Hermione said, pointing to a circular structure pictured on the map. "It's on a street leading off right next to Emba's place. The other two buildings near Emba's Rest House are the Sleepy Inn and the Roudy Ruckus. They're listed as a hotel and a weaponry store. Lot's of shops...hey a library!"  
  
"Gee, Granger, I haven't seen you this exited since our final exams in our seventh year," Draco said. "Than again, I'm sure Weasley's seen you exited plenty of times." He smirked at his lewd remark, as Hermione blushed and Ron spat back at Draco.  
  
"Mind your own business, Malfoy," he said testily.  
  
"What's going on in here?" Minerva had returned, along with Sirius and Remus.  
  
"Oh, hello Minerva," Hermione said. "Is our guide here?"  
  
"Yes she is." Minerva turned to the doorway. Remus and Sirius came in, along with a young woman. She looked perfectly human, save for her ears, which she didn't have. Instead, she had two wings in their place, with pretty pink feathers tipped with gold. Her brown hair was waist-length, and she wore blue pants and a tunic. Her eyes were mismatched in color, one amber and one hazel.  
  
"Everyone, this is our guide," Minerva said.  
  
"Nicolangela Ember, sometimes called Emba's Jack-of-trade, at your service," the girl said, bowing.  
  
"Um, can you hear us?" Ron asked, pointing at her 'ears'. She laughed.  
  
"Oh, of course I can hear you. I have excellent hearing. The reason I have tiny wings there are because of what type of spirit I am. I'm a siren, you see. A water type creature, talented in music, you know."  
  
"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you," Harry said. He introduced himself.  
  
"The pleasure's all mine, sir."  
  
"Call me Harry, please."  
  
"And you can call me Nika. Now than, who are the rest of you?" The younger wizards introduced themselves, getting aquainted with their new ally.  
  
"I'm very happy to be of assistsance to you," Nika said. "I'm not as qualified as some guides would be, since I have many other jobs to perform in town, but I'm one of the few that have actually interacted with humans before. Well, in my case it was only one human, but it's credentials enough, you know." She smiled brightly at them.  
  
"We're very happy to meet you Nika," Ginny said. "And we're looking forward to seeing the sites."  
  
"Oh, Professor Snape retired to his room, by the way," Hermione said, noticing Minerva's sweeping gaze of the room.  
  
"There's one more member of our company," Minerva explained to the siren. "I hope he isn't sleeping. He can be quite irritable most of the time, and he's an awful grump."  
  
"Severus Snape, severly stupid," Sirius remarked. They left the room to find Snape.  
  
"This is our room," Sirius said. "He should be in here."  
  
They entered the room, and Snape looked up at them. He was standing, leaning against the wall and sipping a cup of tea.  
  
"What is it?" he asked as they all filed inside.  
  
"We have our guide, and she's ready to take us around the town," Harry explained. Snape scowled at him.  
  
"And where is this guide?"  
  
"Right here." Nika pushed her way past Remus and Sirius, stepping out of the crowd of wizards. She raised friendly eyes and a smiling face towards Snape, than stopped dead in her tracks. She blinked, and her smile turned into a slight frown.  
  
"Nika, is something wrong?" Harry asked.  
  
"Professor Snape, are you okay?" Draco was watching Snape, who seemed to have paled. His hands were trembling slightly, and he was staring at Nika, open mouthed. When his cup slid out of his fingers and onto the floor, they all knew something was wrong. Remus, Minerva, and Draco came to Snape's side.  
  
"Severus, dear." Minerva was alarmed by Snape's behavior, and she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Severus, you're as stiff as a board." She looked from him to the siren girl, and back again.  
  
"Ni-nicolangela?" he said. She stared back.  
  
"Raven?" 


End file.
